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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23315095">Not Young Anymore</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/distraughtlover/pseuds/distraughtlover'>distraughtlover</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Double Date, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, One Shot, Short &amp; Sweet, Tired Steve Rogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:13:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,222</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23315095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/distraughtlover/pseuds/distraughtlover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Clint and Pietro drag Steve and Tony out for a late dinner, Steve does not expect to find himself so incredibly tired.</p>
<p>Damn this whole aging thing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clint Barton/Pietro Maximoff, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not Young Anymore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Stay safe and healthy, everyone!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve fights valiantly to keep his eyes open. He can feel himself falling asleep, which is strange and disconcerting, like he’s not even in his own body. Each time Steve drops his head, he instantly jolts upright again. No one can call him a quitter. </p>
<p>Then Steve nearly groans in shame when he sees that the time is 9:03 P.M. </p>
<p>He manages a small glare in the direction of Clint and Pietro, who practically forced him and Tony to this new upscale restaurant on the Upper West Side. They’re all seated in the lounge area, which has grown in attendance the past hour. </p>
<p>People move throughout the elegantly decorated room in a vibrantly colored blur. Loud chatter comes from the bar up ahead, where every stool is taken. Liquor bottles that rest on wooden shelves glint brightly. The constant clink of dinnerware from the restaurant comes into the lounge. </p>
<p>Steve leans against the green velvet couch that he and Tony are sitting on, listening absentmindedly to all the noise around him. Clint and Pietro, who are seated at the other end of their small circular table, canoodle almost obscenely. Well, at least in Steve’s sleep-muddled brain. </p>
<p>“You doing alright there, babe?” Tony asks softly from beside him. </p>
<p>Steve nods as he tries not to look like a child up past his bedtime. “Yeah, just a little tired.”</p>
<p>The right corner of Tony’s mouth curls upward in a half-smirk. Steve braces himself for a bit of loving ridicule, even from his own husband, but instead receives a small peck on the cheek. </p>
<p>“It’s ok. I’m exhausted, too.” </p>
<p>Neither of them expected this outcome. Their day hadn’t even been filled with anything demanding or strenuous. Yet here they both are, striving with full effort just to stay awake unlike Clint and Pietro, who seem ready to take on the rest of the night. </p>
<p>Pietro must notice how sleepy Steve appears because he expresses not so quietly to Clint, “I didn’t realize we were on a double date with a pair of grandparents.” </p>
<p>“Give them a break,” Clint says, though a devious light is visible in his eyes. “It must hurt to have such brittle bones, you know.” </p>
<p>Tony laughs in a fake fashion, his face unimpressed at their jokes, while Steve barely registers what they said. This is getting ridiculous now, and he knows it. </p>
<p>Even though they’re in separate chairs, Pietro and Clint sit right next to each other, Pietro’s arm wrapped possessively around Clint. Their collective energy seems to only increase as the minutes creep by, because of course the cocky speedster and the night owl have no trouble staying awake. </p>
<p>The table is cluttered with tall drinks and a plate of different desserts to share, from a little bowl of Crème brûlée to a cup of rich chocolate mousse and a few others that Steve can’t quite discern. An hour ago they shared a fantastic dinner that solidified the restaurant as one of their new favorites. </p>
<p>The night itself has been a fantastic one, full of happy laughs and new memories. Aside from how tired he feels, Steve knows it’s been a good night, one of the many he’ll remember. </p>
<p>But all he can fantasize about is crawling into his and Tony’s bed in their home. Bed. Home. Tony. The words just make sense and Steve can’t stop thinking about them. </p>
<p>Luckily for him, Tony makes the move for that outcome to arrive sooner rather than later. Tony stretches his arms upward and yawns widely. Steve ducks his head for a moment then looks up and grins at the sight of his husband, at the way Tony can make him smile no matter what. </p>
<p>“I think you and I better head home before we fall asleep in public,” Tony says loudly to Steve. </p>
<p>All four of them stand up and say their goodbyes. Steve is grateful for the true friends he has, even when Clint and Pietro are insistent on having him and Tony out for a long night. </p>
<p>“See you guys tomorrow. Maybe. We’ll see how we feel,” Tony says teasingly. Pietro and Clint wave them off as they walk away. Then the two of them claim the empty couch and sit impossibly close to each other, Clint’s hand laying lovingly on top of Pietro’s thigh. </p>
<p>Steve is excited in an odd way as they exit the restaurant and wait outside for their town car. When he and Tony get back home, they both immediately head for the kitchen. As Tony grabs a couple of red mugs from the cabinet, Steve opens the pantry door and brings out two packets of tea. </p>
<p>After brewing their drinks, they move into their main living area and sit close together on the couch, mugs in hand. Tony swings his legs over Steve’s lap, making himself comfortable. Steve holds onto Tony’s thin athletic legs gratefully, almost delirious with how glad he feels to keep Tony right near him inside the warm comfort of their home. </p>
<p>As Tony leans back against the rolled arm rest, he adjusts the throw pillow behind him briefly and then says, “I think these kinds of nights are my favorite.” </p>
<p>Steve softly rubs Tony’s legs, not willing at all to let go. “Any night with you is my favorite.”</p>
<p>“Sap.”</p>
<p>“Takes one to know one.” </p>
<p>Tony takes a drink of his pleasantly warm tea and decides to keep his attention solely on his husband, on his favorite person in the universe. Even though they haven’t changed into pajamas yet, they both feel comfy and relaxed. </p>
<p>“Do you think its lame that we left so early?” Steve asks suddenly. </p>
<p>Tony is surprised that Steve actually sounds worried. He never expected his other half to concern himself with looking or feeling older than other people. </p>
<p>“Well, we’re not as young as we used to be,” Tony offers.</p>
<p>“But you and I aren’t exactly old either.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Tony says, his voice gliding across Steve’s skin. “But I like where we’re at.” </p>
<p>And just like that, Steve realizes he shouldn’t care one bit that he’s getting a little older each day. He’s still got his whole life ahead of him, and as long as Tony is there with him, he doesn’t have anything to worry about. </p>
<p>“I like where we’re at, too.” </p>
<p>Only one lamp is turned on in the living room, creating a warm and mellow ambiance inside the mostly dark area. They finish their tea and leave the mugs in the sink to do tomorrow. </p>
<p>When Steve and Tony enter their master bedroom, they switch into sleeping clothes and climb into the bed. They both have gained a little extra energy and decide to use it to their advantage. Both of them sit up against their gray upholstered headboard, Tony working on his laptop for some important statistics on Stark Enterprise, Steve reading a novel. </p>
<p>A good thirty minutes passes by before they start to feel sleepy again. This time, though, Steve feels ready for bed, like it’s something that has been earned. And now he can’t help but think how great the day was, from going out on the town with friends to a low-key night in bed with the person he loves the most. </p>
<p>This will definitely be something of value that Steve knows he won’t forget.</p>
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